Covid-19 has caused a lot of disadvantages for many of us. Some have lost their jobs while others are stranded overseas to support their family back home.

Since the Circuit Breaker on April 7th, our Malaysian colleagues, particularly our cleaning staff, have been stranded here. With the rise of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia rising again, there are lesser chances of them returning home soon. Staying in Singapore also means that they have will continue to bear high expenses. While they used to bring packed food from JB daily, now they must purchase their daily meals in Singapore, which cost 3 times higher than the amount they usually spend. Their transport expenses have also gone up, having to travel between their lodging here and NTU. Before the CB, they would normally commute across the Causeway every day on company-chartered buses.

With the significant costs of room rentals in Singapore, coupled with all the above, all that is left of their salaries are what they would need to send back home, of which the amount has also decreased significantly. At the CML, we are organising a small fundraising effort for our cleaning staff in the HSS building; Kavida, Deviga, and Devi.